en.Wedoany.com Reported - Virgin Australia has resumed its twice-daily Melbourne-Doha route, operated by Qatar Airways, helping to rebuild seat capacity between Melbourne and the Middle East ahead of the peak Northern Hemisphere summer travel season.

The route was suspended in February this year due to regional conflicts, during which services from Qatar Airways, Emirates, and Etihad Airways also contracted. With the re-establishment of safe air corridors, airlines are gradually restoring services to major global hubs to ease pressure on international travel demand.

The resumption of Virgin Australia's codeshare service complements Qatar Airways' daily Doha flights. Additionally, Emirates will increase its Melbourne-Dubai flights from twice to three times daily starting in August.

Despite the capacity recovery, passenger traffic at Melbourne Airport declined in May. A total of 2.75 million passengers passed through the airport that month, down 3% compared to May 2025, with 726 fewer flight movements year-on-year.

Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus said restoring services to major Middle Eastern hubs would benefit travelers and exporters. Argus noted that Doha, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi are among the world's most important aviation hubs, and the airport has been working closely with airlines to restore capacity as quickly as possible. She pointed out that Victoria relies on these services to connect people and products with markets in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, making the return of more aircraft to these routes encouraging.

Argus also stated that domestic airline flight schedules have been affected by rising oil prices, leading to reduced capacity. She believes that despite ongoing global uncertainties having a short-term impact on passenger numbers, the airport needs to invest in the future and prepare for long-term growth. The first phase of Melbourne Airport's international terminal expansion project is set to open later in 2026, featuring an advanced baggage system and new pick-up and drop-off points for Terminals 1, 2, and 3, extending the terminal footprint into the current forecourt and existing departure ramps.

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